They Got Off the Boat and Started Preaching: The Salvation Army's Explosive Arrival in America and the Forgotten Saints of March

The Salvation Army's Historic Arrival in America, the Hymn Writer Who Changed Worship, and the Saint Who Rescued the Sick

This week marks several extraordinary moments in Christian history that shaped the faith across centuries and continents.

On March 10, 1880, Commissioner George Scott Railton and seven women officers known as the "Hallelujah Lassies" landed at Castle Garden in New York City aboard the S.S. Australia, officially planting the Salvation Army on American soil. The group wasted no time.

"They went right to work, stopping to hold an outdoor evangelistic meeting even before leaving the waterfront. To say the least, it sparked a sensation."

That was the account given by Salvation Army Commissioner Kenneth G. Hodder. By May 1880, the movement had sixteen officers, forty cadets, and over four hundred soldiers. By year's end, fifteen hundred people had been converted. The Army rapidly expanded into New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and as far west as St. Louis, Missouri.

Today, the Salvation Army serves in every ZIP code in the United States, operating ministries for communities of every background.

On March 9, 1948, beloved hymn writer Civilla Durfee Martin passed away at age 81 in Atlanta, Georgia. A native of Jordan Falls, Nova Scotia, Martin composed hundreds of religious songs alongside her husband, Walter Stillman Martin, a traveling evangelist. Her two most celebrated hymns, "God Will Take Care of You" (1904) and "His Eye is on the Sparrow" (1906), remain cornerstones of Christian worship worldwide. She published under her initials "C.D." and spent much of her life homebound due to chronic illness, yet her words continue to uplift millions.

St. John of God: The Portuguese Saint Who Ran Into Burning Buildings to Save the Sick

On March 8, 1495, John of God was born in Portugal as João Cidade. After a childhood marked by hardship and homelessness following his mother's death, he worked as a mercenary soldier, shepherd, and bookseller before experiencing a profound spiritual awakening after hearing a sermon by St. John of Avila.

He dedicated his life to the poor and sick, founding a hospital in Granada, Spain. In 1549, when fire engulfed a hospital in Granada, John of God personally carried patients out of the burning structure. A basilica was constructed in 1757 in Granada to house his grave, protected by the Knights of St. John of God. His order now operates across 53 countries with more than 300 hospitals and over 45,000 members, brothers, and co workers.

The Crusader's Opinion

There was a time when Christians didn't ask permission to serve. They got off the boat and started preaching before their feet were dry. Civilla Martin wrote some of the most powerful worship songs in history from a sickbed. John of God ran into fire to save strangers. These were not comfortable people. They were consumed by a calling bigger than their own survival. The modern Church could use a fraction of that urgency. We have more resources, more technology, and more freedom than any Christians in history, and yet we produce less fruit. The Salvation Army didn't wait for a committee. They marched. That is the spirit we need to reclaim.

Take Action

• Support the Salvation Army's ongoing mission in your community by volunteering or donating at www.salvationarmyusa.org
• Learn a hymn by Civilla Martin this week. Play "His Eye is on the Sparrow" or "God Will Take Care of You" in your home, your car, or your church small group
• Support persecuted Christians worldwide through www.TheShepherdsShield.org
• Donate to the Order of St. John of God's global hospital network serving the poorest communities at www.ohsjd.org
• Share this article with your congregation and start a conversation about what bold, uncompromising Christian service looks like in your community today